European Union Prize for Literature

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In 2018 the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) will celebrate its 10th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, the EUPL Consortium is announcing the creation of the European Union Prize for Literature Writing Contest “A European Story: EUPL Winners Write Europe”.

Launching today, the EUPL Writing Contest is a unique initiative that aims to celebrate the outstanding 108 previous winners of the European Union Prize for Literature. Entries to this contest, which must be an original work of short fiction between two and four pages in length focusing on the topic “A European Story”, are therefore exclusively collected from previous winners of the European Union Prize for Literature from any participating country in any year. Deadline for submissions is Friday, 23 February 2018.

As 2018 will be the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the short fictions in which European heritage plays a significant role will also be eligible for a special jury prize by both the professional and public jury.

“A European Story” can be anything and everything – there are no limits to one’s imagination. We look forward to creative stories from all over Europe, from Montenegro to Ireland, from Iceland to Greece, as diverse, multicultural and colourful as Europe itself.

As Europe is home to a wealth of languages, all entrants are encouraged to submit this work of short fiction in the official language of their countries. All the entries will later be translated into English and both the original version and the translations will be made available in a special publication.

This contest will be judged by a professional jury, made up of selected personalities from the world of art and literature, who will first select a shortlist and subsequently chose a winner. At the same time, the public will also have the opportunity to be actively involved: all contributions will be published in an online publication on the EUPL website and the public will be able to cast a vote for their favourite short fiction online.

All entrants will be invited to a special Awards Ceremony, taking place in Vienna in November 2018, where the winner(s) will be officially announced. Five lucky members of the public voters will also be able to win a trip to Vienna for 2 and attend a night celebrating the exceptional diversity of European literature.

The EUPL Consortium, comprised of the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), is supported by the European Commission in this special endeavour.

Gunnar Ardelius, President of the European Writers’ Council, remarked: “The EU Prize for Literature constitutes an important feature to pay attention to authorship on the rise. In times of major changes in the literary market, it is particularly important for literature as an art form to be in focus. This award helps to draw attention to small language areas, high-quality literature, and at the same time to strengthen the breadth of literature, giving citizens in Europe the opportunity to find new and exciting books to read.”

The President of the Federation of European Publishers Henrique Mota added: “The talents revealed by the EUPL have interested publishers all over Europe and beyond. As such, the Prize has been a true engine to better understanding our European neighbours. I personally very much look forward to reading the European Tales which will emerge from our gifted authors.”

Co-President of the European and International Booksellers Federation Jean-Luc Treutenaere commented: "I am looking forward to reading what will come out of this competition! EUPL 10th anniversary is an important landmark for the consortium which has been working relentlessly to promote European emerging authors. Understanding each other's respective cultures and history has never been as crucial as nowadays and booksellers are acutely aware of their role in providing continuous insight into European cultural diversity."

The EUPL Consortium will also organise a virtual literary journey in 2018, which will provide the previous EUPL winners with the opportunity to further promote their exceptional works to a wide European audience. More details to follow in the coming weeks. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and check the EUPL website to stay up-to-date.